There Is Still Good In Him

"Luke! Leia! Get dressed for training and meet Daddy outside!" Padmé Skywalker called, her voice echoing through the family's villa home in Varykino.

"Coming!" a small voice replied from the upper level of the villa. Another voice said the same, the second voice more boyish than the first.

In a matter of minutes, four small feet padded down the stairs, racing each other to see who would reach the bottom first.

Luke beat his sister, cheering in celebration. Out of frustration, Leia pushed her brother and ran off towards the front doors.

"Mommy! Leia pushed me!" Luke cried, chasing after his sister. The twins passed their mother in a flash, running outside to the large balcony where their young father stood, the warm breeze of Naboo tossing his mane of wavy brown hair, as well as the dark leather sections of his Jedi robes.

"Whoa, whoa, slow down you crazy twins!" Anakin laughed as he knelt down on his knees and his son and daughter collapsed in his arms, their small figures nestled by his own tall and muscular body.

Luke pulled away from his father, looking him straight in the eyes. "What are we gonna do today, Dad? Are we gonna fight someone? How about we take down aliens from Ilum? That would be wizard!"

The young father chuckled, bouncing his daughter on one leg where she sat and tousling his son's hair. "I don't think we're doing anything like that today, son."

"Aww," Luke whined, sighing in disappointment. His six year-old mind could often spike his hopes and allow him to live in a fantasy. He looked up at his father, his eyebrows furrowed. "Can we do something cool like that next time, though?"

Anakin smiled, hugging his son close to him. "Of course, buddy."

"Daddy?" Leia spoke timidly.

"Yes, Princess?"

"I love you."

Anakin swallowed, remembering the first time she told him that and he was unsure of what to say. "I love you too," he said, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

The feeling of another's presence overcame him and he lifted his head, only to see his wife standing before him, watching Anakin comfort their children in his arms.

She smiled, her soft features brought out by her beauty. She joined the twins and her husband in their group hug.

Anakin wrapped his arm around his wife's petite frame and ran his spindly, artificial hand down the back of her tumbling, brunette curls. "I love you," he told his family. "All of you."

And as his wife lifted her head to look at him, her lips parted with the words I love you too escaping them, everything went black and the happy image disappeared.

Vader sat up on his cot, his unsteady breath the only noise audible. He had been having this recurring dream, a dream in which he had never turned to the dark side. He had a family. He was good.

His next immediate thought was of what the reality of his life really was. He was a monster. He had killed Anakin Skywalker and ruined his chances of raising a family, the dream he had all his life.

There is still good in him, Padmé had said during her last moments. I know there is still...